Car lovers, if driving around in your own car and you always imagine you are racing on an F1 track (which you can’t if you aren’t a professional racer), then it’s time to experience your ultimate bucket list of all things auto-related!
For car enthusiasts, the thrill of the open road, the roar of a powerful engine, and the legacy of iconic automobiles, drive them to seek the ultimate automotive experience. From historic races to exhilarating driving adventures, here’s the ultimate bucket list that every car lover will want to complete!
Experience the Thrill of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans, the crown jewel of endurance racing, is a must-see event for any car enthusiast. Held annually since 1923 in Le Mans, France, this iconic race tests speed, strategy, and stamina limits, with teams competing to cover the longest distance in a single day.
However, Le Mans is not just about the race itself; the event is like a festival for car lovers, with activities and programmes such as auto shows; five Fan Zones for Competition (simulators), Family (kids, gaming, experience), Panorama (food, chill), Concert (zipline, concerts, outdoor cinema), and Porte Est (relax); and chances to get up close and personal with the race cars during the technical checks.
Better yet, experience racing the actual track, sitting next to a professional driver! This exhilarating thrill zipping on the track is next to being racing there yourself.
Raring to race but not a professional racer? Then go karting! Open to 16 years old and above, this experience will bring you right inside the track for almost the same thrill of the professional races.
For more information, visit 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Drive a Supercar
There’s nothing quite like the adrenaline rush of getting behind the wheel of a supercar, even if it’s not yours! There are several ways to experience the thrill of driving speed demons such as an Aston Martin GT4, one of which is at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit, where you can race around the F1 circuit for about $670 for 15 minutes. It goes from zero to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, with a top speed of 300 km/h, so seatbelts are definitely recommended!
Besides the Aston Martin GT4, there are other supercars – a classic Lotus-design 200BHP car by Caterham Cars, a F1-style Formula Yas 3000 race car, and an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. Driving these cars ranging from a classic to current F1 race car to powerful versions of iconic cars on an actual F1 track will be the ultimate driving thrill on the top of your car bucket list!
For more information, visit Yas Marina Circuit.
Drive Like James Bond
So you think you can drive like 007? The car of choice by James Bond, the Aston Martin DB5, first appeared on the silver screen in 1964, and went on to grace the movies seven times more, giving the car a cult status. It’s time to channel your inner secret agent at a James Bond-themed driving experience in the iconic Aston Martin DB5, or a replica of it, to be precise.
One of the experiences available includes a Triple Aston Martin Drive from UK-based operator Track Days, where you’ll get behind the wheels of a recreated Aston Martin DB5, a 1975 Aston Martin Vantage, and its modern cousin, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage.
For more information, visit Track Days.
Master the Art of Drifting
Growing up, if Initial D was your bible, mastering (or at least experiencing) the art of drifting will surely be on your bucket list to drive like Takumi down Mount Akagi. There’s no better place to head to for a crash course in drifting than Japan, the home of Initial D, where several places offer drifting lessons in a safe environment.
Tokyo Supercars has a programme in Chiba, teaching car control, differential setting and slide effect, where even beginners are welcome to experience drifting, or what is basically controlled oversteer!
For more information, visit Tokyo Supercars.
Conquer the Trails with Off-Roading
In urban Singapore, roads are all for travelling from point A to B on smooth tarmac, with nary an adventure in mind. Off-roading takes driving to a different terrain, from muddy trails to the rocky mountains, in vehicles designed for the toughest conditions.
To go off-roading, solid axle suspension is the best. Fans of off-roading will no doubt be fans of classic off-roaders such as the Land Rover Defender or Jeep Wrangler, both handsome but tough four-wheel drives designed for the intrepid explorer.
With limited off-road tracks in Singapore, just a quick drive up north to Malaysia will take you to sites with plenty of off-road trails, such as the Endau-Rompin National Park, the 51st ASEAN Heritage Park and Malaysia’s fourth park being conferred heritage status, where the only way around is with a four-wheel drive vehicle to enjoy the rugged terrain and experience the adrenaline rush.
For more information, visit Johor National Parks
Race Digitally
Want to feel the adrenaline drive, but lacking the time for travels? Digital Racing, supported by the Sim Racing Association (Singapore), is a simulated auto-racing platform. We have five machines – three at Broadway Plaza and two at AA Centre – to cater to speed junkies.
The machines comprise a sturdy Next Level Racing frame with a mounted 34-inch widescreen monitor. The steering, wheelbase and pedal sets are from Thrustmaster, and the force feedback from the steering wheel will give you the ultimate driving experience without running your odometer.
The AA Centre simulators run through Assetto Corsa, a racing simulation that offers a realistic driving experience with detailed physics and tyre simulation recreated with laser-scanning technology. For the machines situated in Broadway Plaza, it simulates with Automobilista, featuring a wide variety of cars and tracks from real-world Brazilian racing and generational Formula racing cars.
Bring out your inner car-racer
Most of us, deep in our hearts, have a hidden desire to let our hair down and experience the thrill racing can bring. We watch supercar races for the passion for speed and exhilaration of watching the success of incredible driving manoeuvres. Sometimes, we’re desperate to be the one behind the steering wheel and control a supercar or an off-roader, experiencing the thick of the thrill.
For car enthusiasts, the penultimate experience is controlling the vehicle and the environment seamlessly and perfectly as one conjoined entity, in real life or virtually.
